Megan Barry Expands Campaign Team

October 07, 2014

Councilmember at‐Large Megan Barry’s mayoral campaign has expanded the team to include a communications director, as well as a fundraising coordinator and direct mail firm.

Sean Braisted has been named communications director, having most recently served as press secretary for the House Democratic Caucus since 2012, where he helped expand the profile of the caucus and its members through the press and social media. Before joining the caucus, Braisted worked in new media with the Tennessee Democratic Party and was an award‐winning political blogger at Nashville for the 21st Century, where he wrote about local and state politics.

Sarah Lingo has joined the campaign to focus on fundraising efforts. Lingo has a long history in Nashville and Tennessee assisting state and local candidates, as well as several mayoral campaigns in fundraising. Lingo recently returned to Nashville after completing her service in the United States Peace Corps as a community development volunteer in Thailand, before which she worked in the Department of Mental Health under Governor Phil Bredesen.

“I am excited to bring more team members on board who have a deep knowledge of Nashville and the political process,” said Barry. “With our core staff in place, I am confident that we will continue to build momentum and support for my campaign.”

In addition to Braisted and Lingo, Barry has retained Gumbinner Davies & Simpson in order to support voter contact through direct mail. GD&S is an award‐winning firm that has helped win campaigns in over 39 states through eye‐catching, message‐driven mail. Michael Davies, a partner at GD&S, has an extensive knowledge of Nashville, having managed a Nashville mayoral campaign in 1999 and served as caucus director for the Tennessee House Democratic Caucus from 1995 to 1998. “It is so great to see such a wonderful team come together to support a progressive vision for Nashville’s future,” said Barry. “Having such talented people on staff will enable me to spend more time talking with voters about how we can continue Nashville’s growth and build on the legacy of the last seven years.”

Barry previously announced that Claudia Huskey would join her team as campaign manager, along with theSnyder Pickerill Media Group to assist with strategy and advertising, and Anzalone Liszt Grove Research as the campaign’s polling firm.

A Nashville resident for 23 years, Megan Barry was twice elected as at‐large member of the Metro Council, receiving the most votes in the countywide election in 2011. An MBA graduate of Vanderbilt, she has two decades of senior‐level corporate experience in telecommunications and healthcare. She is the mother of a college‐age son and has been married to Bruce Barry for 20 years.